Disney World is BROKEN!

[DisneyDetective]

The biggest problem is, the only way to reduce crowds is to increase the price of the tickets. It really is a no win situation. If the price goes up, crowds go down, complaints on being priced out go up. Reduce the number of people allowed in the gate, crowds go down, complaints about not getting in go up. Keep the same, crowds go up. And so on.

i agree. i think Universal have been very courageous in their Express pass whereby you have to pay more to 'jump' the queue.

 

[ucfknight]

You didn't specifically say in your previous post that you were comparing 2004's cheapest 7 day option with 2014's cheapest 7 day option, which actually does make a difference. To me, I thought you were comparing base ticket prices.

I thought it was intuitively obvious that I was comparing cheapest ticket prices. If someone is going for 7 days... how much will it cost them? Extras and add-ons are always available, and change frequently.

Theme Parks change their offerings and ticket packaging all the time. SeaWorld's Sky Tower used to cost $4.50 extra. If I'm comparing SeaWorld ticket prices today (where the Sky Tower is free) to what ticket prices were 10 years ago (when it cost $4.50 for the Sky Tower), I don't add $4.50 to the ticket price 10 years ago when making the comparison.

Likewise, back in the day Universal Express used to be free. They had touch-screen kiosks where you would scan your park ticket, pick the attraction you wanted (usually only the closest couple of attractions were available to select), and then had a choice of a couple of different return times (doesn't some of that sound a little familiar). Now Universal charges a lot of money for Express Pass if you aren't staying onsite. Am I supposed to add $40 to account for Express Pass purchase to today's Universal prices when comparing them with a time when Express Pass was free?

 

[cabanafrau]

I would have loved to see them spend the FP+ budget to bring more attractions to the parks, starting with Epcot, Studios and AK to relieve the strain on MK -- and spread the crowds in those three parks beyond two or three attractions per park. To me that says, thank you for visiting us at WDW, in order to make sure you enjoy your time with us and come back again, we are working hard to provide you with new experiences to enjoy with your hard earned vacation time and dollars, come back and see us again next year when X will be ready for your enjoyment also.

For now I think WDW is trading on its past and what they see as an endless supply of first time visitors they feel they can risk turning and burning. Eventually I think it will be their undoing.

With the way corporate America operates today I would not be at all surprised to see the company unload WDW if it gets to a tipping point. I firmly believe the choice to invest in this Next Gen rather than truly expanding their offerings to expanding attendance and compound it by insisting their guests prefer it this way leaves the resort very vulnerable to a swift shift in attendance patterns or hiccup in the economy. It is such a massive operation I would not be even a little surprised to see it spun off from the mother ship. I would be surprised if they surrendered DLR as easily.

 

[yeheyprincex2]

There are many places you can go on this huge earth and be all alone. The largest tourist destination in the US should not be expected to be empty. Go to Time Square and see how that goes. Walk down Wilshire Blvd. Go sit in LA traffic. Visit Bangkok or Shanghai. Or London or Rome. Cool places have CROWDS. And Disney World has made itself an icon. It is now cool to like Disney.

This is soo true that lots of people here refuse to accept. You don't HAVE to go to Disney world you choose to.

Disney chooses to make money therefor there will be crowds.

So simple.

 

[maxiesmom]

There are many places you can go on this huge earth and be all alone. The largest tourist destination in the US should not be expected to be empty. Go to Time Square and see how that goes. Walk down Wilshire Blvd. Go sit in LA traffic. Visit Bangkok or Shanghai. Or London or Rome. Cool places have CROWDS. And Disney World has made itself an icon. It is now cool to like Disney.

This is soo true that lots of people here refuse to accept. You don't HAVE to go to Disney world you choose to.

Disney chooses to make money therefor there will be crowds.

So simple.

 

[manning]

Oh trust me... I know DVC is expensive...but it's already paid for...so when I get back from our vacation I don't have a hotel bill. That's what I mean by "free". Heck I have probably $400 in Disney gift cards that I randomly buy and I also count that as "free" money because by the time the trip comes around they have been long ago paid for...and an extra $50 on the credit card every month or so is hardly noticeable. So in my world...that's free.

You almost got it right. That DVC room is not exactly free. There is the yearly dues. Granted it's cheaper than the hotel room, but it is not free.

Nothing in this world is free. You pay for it one way or another.

 

[gdrj]

I for one would love to see them open a 5th park, but.....

I have read quotes that Disney Park Exec's have said their focus is updating and upgrading existing parks, while it never is done as quick as guests want, in my totally non-park executive opinion, it probably is the right decison.

When I go to Disney I'm just happy to be at Disney. Crowds and lines don't bother me and I like being able to plan my ADRS. I prefer being a rope dropper, but I've arrived at the parks much later than Rope Drop and still had an excellent time. I went over Spring Break last year and it was a blast. I didn't feel it was too crowded at all the and the weather was perfect. Disney is a company and they have to make money. If it's legal to jam-pack people in their parks, than I expect them to and want them to. I'd rather they stay in business and deal with long lines than not have any Disney! Disney has its flaws but at its heart it's still Disney. They're building Avatarland and the Mine Train, and the Imagineers are always working on new things. I'll be going to Disney until the day I die and that's a fact. But hey, whatever floats your boat.

Agree

I guess it's relative what one considers to be too crowded...

As for "broken," well, certainly there are areas that need some help. The non MK parks do need some new rides (especially Epcot with all that available space). Interestingly it is MK that has been getting the love, though it needed it the least.

I agree on EPCOT, the problem with Future world and technology is that it changes so quick. From a future world perspective it would be neat if Apple on Microsoft had interactive exhibits. Since MK iss the Park that draws the largest crowds I think it is appropriate that the focus has been on MK.

Honestly, WDW hasn't been as calm and relaxing as it was in the early days for a very long time. The number of on property resorts and the DVC resorts has created crowds that now invade what used to be the quietest weeks of the year. When Disney execs bonus based upon dollars brought in, greed wins out.

WDW needs another park, nobody can deny that. EPCOT has always had the feel of being an adult park, perhaps it is time for WDW to get a park for the under 12 set. Something needs to be done to lessen the crowds when you are charging $100 per day.

Not sure it is greed? It is running a business in this day and age. Personally I don't want another park before they upgrade existing parks. realize if there is another Park there would be a separate admission fee or an increase in cost above and beyond the Disney 'normal" price increases. Disney is not going to spend Billions on a new park, just to reduce crowds

I do think it's too bad that Disney was meant to be for everyone. But, there are many, many people who cannot afford it. To go, for even just one day, is several hundred dollars for a family. I helped our neighbors price out their first vacation to WDW last night. They have very good jobs and take nice trips. They are still in complete shock at the cost for a week. It's twice what they've ever spent for any other trip.

In regards to cost, IMO, if you are going to look at just cost vs. a beach vacation, or a Day trip to an amusement park, it would be impossible to justify. Once someone does their homework, and you realize the "total experience" while you may still not be able to justify the cost analytically, to me there is value. Realizing not everyone takes advantage of all Disney has to offer (and yes I know I am paying for it), I enjoy being able to get off the plane and jump on the Magical Express and have my bags show up in my room. I enjoy being able to enjoy the Resort hotels and their theming. I like to walk the Boardwalk and watch the nighttime entertainment. I enjoy taking the boat from the Boardwalk to DHS, or taking a boat to DTD from some of the other resorts, OR taking a boat from MK to Ft Wilderness. I enjoy the bike trails, the pools, the ability to travel around a the small city of Disney World and never having to drive. I enjoy the nightly fireworks or the endless shows or parades. While others may disagree I enjoy the interaction with CM's that truly seem to care about my experience. I enjoy the escapism and being able to leave the outside world "outside". I enjoy being able to eat a snack, or a lite lunch or a more elegant dinner and have a reasonable expectation of being satisfied. I enjoy having a beverage poolside, or doing a hotel lounge tour with drinks and appetizers and not worrying about driving. Oh and by the way I enjoy the parks too!

1. Crowd control is a big issue. If people make dinner reservations in advance and reserve attraction times in advance, perhaps it is time for them to start reserving their parks in advance, with a crowd cut-off far lower than it is now. Set a number, and when that number is hit, you have to pick a different park. If plans change and cancellations are made, then people on the waiting list get in. There is almost nothing at WDW that is a problem that cannot be fixed by simply lowering the daily crowd numbers. This Board is called (in part) the "Strategies" Board. The reason for that is that we all know that an effective strategy is needed to maximize enjoyment. Going to an amusement park should not have to involve a year's worth of planning and "strategies". Experienced visitors, and those who have already "done it all" in the past can come and "wing it". New visitors cannot. Which brings me to....

2. WDW is in serious risk of losing repeat business from new visitors. And this is where the "repairs" are needed the most. I know that this comment will not be well-received here on a fan Board, but of the people with whom I have spoken who first visited WDW within the past 5 years, and who are not Chat Board regulars, about half to two-thirds of those folks have no intention of returning. They simply had a lousy time, mostly due to the crowds. It is difficult for us "hard corps" to put ourselves in the shoes of first-timers, but consider the family of 4 that approaches a WDW vacation the way they approach most vacations, which is to say, with some planning, but nowhere near what the people here do. They book a room at the Poly and get the Meal Plan. They wake up and have a character breakfast with Stitch and saunter into DHS at 10:00 with no FP+ reservations. They wait in a 75 minute line at TSM, hit the GMR, have a CS lunch, and then wait in one hour long lines at ToT and RnR respectively. It is now 3:00 and they have done 4 things, while waiting in lines for over three and a half hours. And this day is costing them over $1,000. These are the stories that I hear from people now. I try to (and do) tell them about advance planning, strategies, Rope Drop, Fast Passes, and all that comes with it, but I am mostly met with blank stares and replies of incredulity. These folks are never going back. Disney did not "capture" them the way it captured us in the early 70's, and families throughout the 80's and 90's. Now, to be "captured", you have to approach a WDW vacation the way the Allies approached the Beaches of Normandy. It can be done, and I masochistically admit to liking that part of the vacation. But many do not, and Disney is in real danger of losing the next generation of guests. Again, largely due to crowd control issues.

WDW has park "cut-offs". But those numbers have to be lowered waaaaaay down in order to fix the problem. And one way to do that without having disappointed people pulling up to the gates is to have advance reservations for parks so that you will know weeks in advance if you will be able to get in to the park of your choice. If you don't, you make a new plan.

As others have said, forget about a cutoff, just not the way to stay in business. I was there XMAS week, did we get to go on every ride when we wanted absolutely not, did it require being creative, for sure. We stayed off site (which we normally don't do) and somehow managed. We visited MK later in the day and were able to get on most rides without much wait, or by using FP. We have stayed on site and used EMH to our advantage.

For people who don't do any research or preplan (we do not go crazy preplanning, we will have loose plans based on dining etc.) that's their issue quite honestly. If I am going to invest $2K or $5K in a vacation I am going to know what to expect, if I don't shame on me. It amazes me when I talk to people who have gone to Disney World and have no idea what EPCOT is or that its just for adults or have never walked around the countries. My kids always had fun getting their passports stamped, looking at the exhibits in China, or Japan etc...

I do agree there is an imbalance when it comes to rooms vs parks. There are many places to stay and not enough places to play. I do love Disney World, but it is losing its charm a bit. Even the Fantasyland expansion is somewhat of a joke. Two new rides; one of which has been being built for years. Ridiculous.

I think I will have to just agree to disagree, if you are looking to just run from ride to ride that's fine. I could be wrong but besides expanding Dumbo and not having to stand in a queue and the Mine train, you also have the Under the Sea. Plus there is dining in the beasts castle which I know is not an attraction but based on the wait to get in, people do enjoy it. Plus the added areas to sit, again not an attraction but enjoyable. I remember when Toon Town was thrown up rather quickly and quite honestly cheaply, my oldest was enthralled by visiting Mickey's House and just standing in the doorways of the fake door fronts. Sometimes we just need to slow down. I also remember when you could go on the horse drawn trolley throughout the day and the fire truck would drive up and down.

I'm not saying that Disney isn't worth it or that it doesn't give you a great experience for your money. But, it is extremely expensive. And, there are lots of people who cannot go because of that. We pay half as much when we go to the beach and have twice as much space. They are two very different vacations but I don't think anyone can argue that Disney isn't expensive.

Totally agree. People vacation where they want and can afford. I would love to go to Hawaii but airfares and the travel time make me not want to. Beach vacations are great, of course we went to Key West, had a great time, but compared to a true "beach vacation" was very expensive. Loading the kids in the station wagon to the beach is fun, but restaurants at some beach areas are crowded as heck and pretty darn expensive for what they give you.

We stay for a week on the beach on the gulf coast, eat all our lunches and dinners out, and spend a fraction of what a week at disney costs. not sure if you and magpie are eating at shula's every night or what, but unless you are frivoloulsy spending big bucks every day at these museums and staying for just a couple hours, i am having trouble with this. Using just one example, Disney meals are priced 80% higher than comparable meals outside of the parks/resorts.

Higher yes, 80% higher not in my experience. Now of course if you are talking Papa Joe's all you can eat buffet on Universal Drive with sticky floors and optional toilet paper in the bathrooms, you may be right.

I felt this way until I found myself at the Smithsonian getting faint because it was hours past lunch time. After dropping $23 on the most disgusting barbecue sandwich ever (didn't even come with sides) and a bottle of juice, I really missed paying $11 for much better food at Cosmic Rays.

Could you find a Burger King and spend half that on a burger and fries? Yes, for an hour or more of lost park time. When they charge you more for park (or museum) food, it's really about the convenience more than the food itself. It all depends on what's more important to YOU.

If you take one thing away from this post, let it be this: NEVER eat at the Smithsonian. Never.

Don't forget about the parking costs in DC, or the parking tickets, and the traffic is just soooo much fun, and the food is served with a smile

 

[MichelleVW]

You almost got it right. That DVC room is not exactly free. There is the yearly dues. Granted it's cheaper than the hotel room, but it is not free.

Nothing in this world is free. You pay for it one way or another.

And since I just paid the dues today...yes I KNOW it's not really free. But the dues are in my yearly budget...not a big deal...and doesn't factor into my vacation funds...so yea...room is still free in my mind

 

[manning]

Thankfully we bought resale which was about half the price that Disney wants...and for 13 years we've gone at least once or twice a year before we bought DVC...so locked in or not, obviously they have me already.

We do go other places...going to Mexico this weekend, DCL cruise in 3 weeks....we just like to travel...and having a "free" place to stay at the place we like to go most often made total sense for us.

Here we go again. That word "FREE".

Disregard wrote this while you where posting

 

[Alicatt]

Ditto this. I am a stay at home mom and we don't have a huge income, but I would never go into debt for a vacation! I just cut back in other places and keep adding to a vacation savings account. It's nice paying cash. Paying anything with credit (that I can't pay back in a month) stresses me out.

Agreed! It's almost fun saving up. It's not as much fun paying it off after
I will have it all paid off (with DDP) before I leave. I like when I get an extra few bucks, putting away for a drink or a T shirt. I try to picture something specifc that I'll be able to get. It makes me smile.

Back to the original topic though, I know others have said similar things but I was at Six Flags Hurricane Harbor over the summer, on a weekday, and it wasn't cheap. We didn't go to Six Flags Over Texas at all because of the price. There isn't a lot for smaller kids to do at either of these parks and the lines were ridiculously long for any ride. We waiting for a pretty basic water slide upwards oif 2 hours. This was no E ticket ride. My 2 year old was big enough to ride. We were there all day and rode maybe 3 rides. At least at Disney, except for the really peak times, you can usually get on a ride with little to no wait if you aren't pickey.

Yesterday, my dad and I were talking about our upcoming trip and about HS and he reminded me that we had gone when it was MGM. He said we were so lucky because right after they let us in, they closed the park because it was at capacity. In October. I had forgotten that. How disappointed those people turned away must have been. Ah the good old days....

 

[JimmyV]

Not true for us; lowering the crowd numbers would raise the price, and we already pay more for Disney vacations than we do for anywhere else.

Not true for Disney; lowering daily crowd numbers cuts their profits.

Disney can lower the turnstile count, raise the prices of admission, and not lose a penny. As many have pointed out, when you buy a 7-10 day ticket, you are driving your daily cost way down below $50 per day. A 7 day ticket is $44 per day per adult. That figure is simply not competitive in today's market. Most inferior amusement parks cost that much if not more. Ski resorts charge twice that amount for a few hour's use of the mountain. Greens fees for 18 holes at a resort golf course are north of $150. Heck. Even Disney charges more to play 18 holes at the Palm or Magnolia than it does to get in to the parks for a full day, dawn til midnight. Prime time at the Magnolia is $165. There is a lot of room left for Disney to raise admission prices, drop attendance back to "crowded" levels instead of "insane" levels, and still be profitable. Many people have repeated here that "Disney is a bargain". And it is. But it shouldn't be. The leader of the industry that produces the best product shouldn't be a "bargain". That is why the place is so crowded. Because it is so comparatively cheap.

Everyone here knows that there is a capacity cutoff. But what people don't seem to want to consider is that this cutoff is not set in stone, is not immutable, and is not the difference between profit and loss. Do you really think that on days where the cutoff is invoked that Disney would go bankrupt if it invoked the cutoff 5,000 people sooner? They have plenty of computer models (just like Touring Plans) that can predict crowd level based on past performance. Raise admission fees 15%-20% during those heavy times and try to control crowds that way. If it doesn't work and the parks are just as crowded, then good for Disney. They make 15%-20% more at the gate. If it does cut crowds by 15%-20%, then they suffer no gate loss. Do you really think that you would stop going to WDW if the daily average cost of a ticket more closely approximated Six Flags, Killington Mt or 18 holes on the Magnolia Golf Course?

I was there XMAS week, did we get to go on every ride when we wanted absolutely not, did it require being creative, for sure...For people who don't do any research or preplan ...that's their issue quite honestly. If I am going to invest $2K or $5K in a vacation I am going to know what to expect, if I don't shame on me.

Yes, it is a shame on the person who doesn't do their homework, and it is their issue. But that is cold comfort to Disney when that person says: "I'm never going back". I am hearing more and more people coming back as first time or second time visitors saying that they will not return. We die hards can shake our heads in disbelief, but that doesn't change the fact that it is happening. We can blame the "victim" for not doing their homework. We can try to teach them a better vacation strategy. We can try to convince them that Disney is a bargain. But it doesn't always sink in. 90% of the complaints I am hearing are related to crowds, and far fewer relate to money. I've never heard a first time visitor come back and complain about the esoterica that we here complain about. (Generic napkins...FP+...) Their issues are much more "big picture". Does it make them right? No. But perception is reality in the business world.

 

[clsteve]

I do agree there is an imbalance when it comes to rooms vs parks. There are many places to stay and not enough places to play. I do love Disney World, but it is losing its charm a bit. Even the Fantasyland expansion is somewhat of a joke. Two new rides; one of which has been being built for years. Ridiculous.

When they bring in McKinsey, or whichever other flavor they prefer, I hope this is the title on the very first .ppt

 

[shalom]

Disney can lower the turnstile count, raise the prices of admission, and not lose a penny.

They would, however, lose Walt's original goal of a theme park accessible to the average middle class vacationer. Disney already gets some grief for being more expensive than the other Orlando parks; if they kicked up one-day admission to $300 (as someone else suggested), it'd be a PR nightmare.

As many have pointed out, when you buy a 7-10 day ticket, you are driving your daily cost way down below $50 per day.

When we last went to SeaWorld, with the second day free deal it cost about $30/day. Right now it's $41/day, and that's without discounts. It's much easier to find serious discounts for SeaWorld or Universal; very tough to find discounts for Disney beyond 10%.

The Flex Ticket (which gets you 14 consecutive days in the Universal parks, SeaWorld, Aquatica, or Wet and Wild) costs $23/day. Going on your numbers for WDW, Disney's charging almost twice the going rate.

Most inferior amusement parks cost that much if not more.

Few people go to those inferior amusement parks for more than one day. And few of those amusement parks are making the dedicated restaurant and hotel money Disney rakes in, let along all the other shopping the average Disney-goer does. Disney's parks function to bring people in and keep them inside the Disney Bubble, where everything costs boatloads more than outside but people pay it anyhow. Comparing WDW's parks to amusement parks is comparing two very different things, with two entirely different money-making methods.

Greens fees for 18 holes at a resort golf course are north of $150. .

Only if you're going to Torrey Pines or someplace like that. Or Disney, apparently. But even at places like Torrey Pines you can get a considerable discount by getting a Twilight reservation, which will take it down to much less than $100. And the average golfer isn't paying that much; golf resorts like World Golf Village in St. Augustine charge more like $70, while Fairfield Glade and a lot of the Cumberland resorts it's easy to get below $50.

And, as you yourself point out, Disney charges more for golf than it does for the theme parks. Two different things, with very different clientele. A golfer is paying for himself; a parent taking their family to a theme park is paying for self and everyone else.

Many people have repeated here that "Disney is a bargain". And it is. But it shouldn't be. The leader of the industry that produces the best product shouldn't be a "bargain".

Why not? Historically, that has often been the case. The best is often produced by the most efficient, who can produce the most for the least, and they often accomplish that by serving the most customers. The more customers, the lower the price of serving each customer. Disney is making ridiculous profits serving cafeteria food at gourmet restaurant prices, and renting out tiny hotel rooms for more than some 4 star hotels, so why should they change? They are selling the experience, and plenty of people are happy paying for same.

Raise admission fees 15%-20% during those heavy times and try to control crowds that way.

Rumor is they're thinking about doing something like that (tiering ticket prices as they have tiered hotel prices), which I think is a great idea.

90% of the complaints I am hearing are related to crowds, and far fewer relate to money.

I've heard more complaints about money than crowds, myself. There are still plenty of people who think WDW is overpriced. And, compared to the other Orlando theme parks, it is! WDW isn't competing with Six Flags of Anywhere -- it's competing with Sea World Orlando, Universal Orlando, and all the stuff along North International Drive. And, even at the lowest alternatives, it's charging twice as much as any of them. In terms of first-day admittance, they're a lot closer, but Universal's second day cost $40 less than Disney's, their three day ticket is $100 less, and so on.

People who spend a lot of time golfing and skiing may not be money sensitive when it comes to WDW tickets, but I bet Disney's base clientele is.

 

[ellie05]

I don't think it is unreasonable to have to plan in advance to have a better trip. I do that for all our vacations not just Disney and we do get a better experience because of it. In all our Disney trips we never have waited more than 20 min for a ride. In fact my mom went with us 2 years ago and she was so surprised how much better the experience she had vs our trips when we were little in the 90's. It was much better because we had a plan vs. waiting and waiting in lines all day. Not one thing is going to make everyone happy.
I am looking forward to see our experience with FP+ next trip.

I think because of the range of the hotels you can make it a bargain or not. You choose what you want from your vacation and that is why it makes appealing to so many people.

 

[dalayney]

Personally, I think some of the people on this lovely thread, are just.... bored with Disneyworld. I look at your tag lines and some of you have been there every year, sometimes twice a year, for a long long time. When you get bored w/something, people generally start to nit pick, find fault etc. It's bound to happen.
That's not Disney's fault. I'm not saying they are totally innocent, but their job IS to put more people in the parks, whether you like that aspect of it, or not.

You need to realize, the newness of going wears off, if you're going every year, or twice a year....and I think, that's where some of your displeasure in Disneyworld is.

I say yes, by all means! Take a break! You might need a little "time out". Maybe come back in a couple of years, where you will once find that "magic" again.

And in my eyes, Disney is not the type of "fly by the seat of your pants" type of vacation. Nor is it a "we'll sleep in and then just lollygag in the parks" vacation. Planning is a must! I get totally pi$$y when newbies go during the busiest time of year, and then whine "waa waa, it's too crowded" ... "waa waa, it's too hot, busy, we didn't get any good reservations, blah blah blah".

I guess it's common sense to me though. You don't drop that type of cash on a vacation, and then just expect it all to work out perfectly, with no plan! Geez. Do you want tinkerbell to wipe your hiney for you too????

 

[Damien2213]

Maybe its just me, and I'm no detective, but why are ride times being shown not adding up to these large crowds people are speaking of? It's not just posted times vs people either, it is also a case of people vs people with different experiences. Something isn't quite right here....hmmmmmmm

Is it that some people are actually expecting an empty park on their trips? To never have to stand in line at all? That is just very unrealistic at any theme park no matter what time of year it is. 20 min lines are not bad.....I know the weekends can pick up sometimes but that is expected.....

 

[mefordis]

And since I just paid the dues today...yes I KNOW it's not really free. But the dues are in my yearly budget...not a big deal...and doesn't factor into my vacation funds...so yea...room is still free in my mind

How would you categorize the maintenance fees for DVC then? I know if I owned DVC it would hit my vacation budget. I can't think of any other category I could put it under.

 

[ArwenMarie]

I guess what I'm really getting at - for us, going to Disney World is not about how much can we do in the Parks. Our 'must-do' list is likely shorter than those who (rightly) complain. The Parks are our morning activity for what remains a resort vacation that includes shopping, dining, relaxation, and just spending invaluable time as a family.

And that is exactly what Disney wants, IMO. Spend 4-6 hours in a park, use your 3 FPs, eat, maybe do a few other rides, see a parade or show, go back to your resort and swim or golf or shop or whatever, just get out of the park!

I fully expect them to use FP+, once they really start marketing it, as completely targeted towards first-timers to get them to do just this. And it will probably work.

 

[Laketravis]

When they bring in McKinsey, or whichever other flavor they prefer, I hope this is the title on the very first .ppt

Rumor is Accenture made the cut

 

[Good Morning Dewdrop]

Maybe its just me, and I'm no detective, but why are ride times being shown not adding up to these large crowds people are speaking of? It's not just posted times vs people either, it is also a case of people vs people with different experiences. Something isn't quite right here....hmmmmmmm

Is it that some people are actually expecting an empty park on their trips? To never have to stand in line at all? That is just very unrealistic at any theme park no matter what time of year it is. 20 min lines are not bad.....I know the weekends can pick up sometimes but that is expected.....

you're right - we usually go during 'slow' times - January and September - we ARE used to walking up to rides with a 5 minute wait - Jungle Cruise, BTMRR, Carpets, Small World, Pirates etc. Not TSM or PP but a lot of other rides. So to see 20 / 30 minutes for Small World is a shock (who waits that long for Small World?) We're here this week and it does feel busier than a "normal" January - another example we have never parked in Peacock before in AK and we did yesterday - to be parking over there in the early afternoon means that the park is significantly busier than I've seen it.

Am I spoiled by low wait times - yes - you bet and I confess I like it